Apparatus for processing chocolate



K. WIEMER April 1, 1941.

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING CHOCOLATE Original- Filed Oct. 13, 1938 Patent ed Apr.- 1, 19 41" nrranATUs FOR Kurt Wiemer, Dresden, Germany, assignor 'to the 1.; firm J; M. Lehmann, Dresden, Germany I application October 13,1938, Serial No.

234,839. Divided and this application April 10, 1939, Serial No. 267,111. InGermany October I A 3 Claims. This application is a division-from my copending U. 8. application, Serial No, 234,839, "for I Processing chocolate," now filed October 13, 1938. i j

In the manufacture of goods made of chocolate a well prepared chocolate mass must be used. For one. thing, the mass must have a suflicient degree of fineness, i. e. the parts which compose the mass (the broken cocoa beans, the sugar and the cocoa butter)' must be in a finely ground state and well mixed. Secondly, the mass must show a very definite degree of liquidity (viscosity) in order to make possible orderly processing. Thirdly, the mass must bein'the best possible state of taste refinement by-corresponding development of the aromatic materials contained in the mass. I

The comminution and refinement of the components of the mass icocoa beans and s'ugar) is done in modern plants by special roller machines. After that, the material thus prepared is fed into the processing machine, e. g. a stirring machine, a roller vat/etc, with the addition of the neces- 1 saw cocoa butter, and is brought there into the correct state of liquidity (viscosity), by stirring rods, rollers, etc.; at the same time a certain additional refinement takes place by grinding of the mass particles. While the mass is being stirred, rolledand kneaded, it comes into contact with the air, which, according to experience,

degre lj-tr liquidity by the stirring machine, the ,roller-v'at,fetc., does not at all coincide with the moment at which the aromatic materials have been so developed that the mass is in. the best condition with regard to taste. The latter condition is reached much later than the moment at which the correct viscosity of the mass is reached. If the correct liquefaction is attainedwithin 24 hours in a stirring machine, a roller vat, or the like, a multiple of that period is required to bring all mass particles sufiiciently into contact with the air. The contact surface between mass and air is a fixed factor because of .thefixed dimensions of these machines which always have been built for the quickest and most favorable liquefaction of a certain quantity of 'the mass. k

tinuing comminution ofthe sugar contained therein. This has certain disadvantages for the processing into chocolate goods. Consequently .cn has'contented oneself, heretofore, with an leads to a development ofthe aromaticjmaterials contained in the mass. It has been experienced that a surface of contact with the air, which is as great as possible, is useful in the safeand quick attainment of the highest refinement in the taste of the mass,

Stirring machines, roller vats, longitudinal rolling machines, and the like are conventionally kept in such dimensions as. to takein a certain amount of the mass (e. g. 250 kg. or 500 kg.),

' and, within a certain time (e. g. 24hcurs) to bring that mass to the required degree of viscosity, as necessary for .the processing of the mass into chocolate goods. Thesemachines canwork properly only if a batch or charge of the quantity for whichthey are dimensioned is fed into them and is worked in them.

- The mass, as said above, not only ha to b i brought to the proper degree of liquidity re- .quired for processing-into chocolate goods, but

inadequate condition with regard to flavor development, or'has accepted the" thickening of the mass, or has used more butter to maintain the correct viscosity The object of the present invention is the construction of a processing machine, in which the' moment at which the correct degree of liquefac tion and comminution of the mass is reached, substantially coincides with the moment at which the mass has the best possible degre of refinement with regard to flavor.

This object is attained by a machine sioned for the processing of a certain quantity of mass (a. stirring machine, a longitudinal friction machine, a roller vat, etc.),- which is provided with,,means' causing the mass to come into contact with the outside air continuously on a surface bearing a predetermined ratio to the amount of. mass which" the machine is designed to process, and amounting to at least 2 m. per 100 kg. 1 3 It has been found that in using the conventional processing machines, within the same time in which the required viscosity of the mass is reached, the flavor refinement also can be brought to the maximum, if the machine is so built that the chocolate mass, during the time required for liquefaction, is. spread over surfaces .-r dimensufficiently large, so that the contact with the air takes place to a sufiicient degree. These surfaces must amount to at least 2 sq. in. per 100 kg. of mass, according to these findings.

By abiding by this new formula there is effected safely and surely the coinciding of the moment of correct liquefaction of the mass with the moment of complete flavor development of the mass.

It is clear that in such a processing machine ,the mass can be made in a short time, namely in the time required for the liquefaction and comminution of the mass, into a perfectly flavored object.

In Figs. 1 and 2, numerals l and I designate the bearings of the bearing blocks 2 and 2', respectively. Numerals 3 and 3' show hollow shafts rotating in the bearings, to which shafts there is' fastened a drum 3". This drum is equipped at its periphery with teeth 4, which mesh with gear wheel 5. The wheel 5 is fastened to a shaft 6 which rotates in bearing 8 in the block 1 located adjacent bearing block 2. To the free end of shaft 6 there is fastened the pulley 9. The gear wheel 5 and the drum 3" turn in the direction of the arrows. I

Within the hollow shafts 3 and 3' there is placed an axle ID, to which there are fastened the half bearings ll of two pendulum arms i2 extending downwardly in the interior of the drum.

' shaft I6. Into a slot l1 near the free end of the crank shaft protrudes a trunnion i8 which is fastened to the connecting rod l9. This connecting rod I9 is linked at to a fly wheel M which is fastened to shaft 5 of gear wheel 5.

Consequently the pendulum arms l2 are continuously oscillated in such a way that the roller I3 assumes the positions indicated in Fig. 1 by broken lines.

' In the drum there is placed a quantity of chocolate mass commensurate to the output of the drum, for instance 500 kg. mass is constantly revolved with simultaneous kneading by the back and forth movement of the roller l3. After a certain time (for instance after 24 hours) the mass has assumed the degree of comminution and liquidity suitable for further working by the kneading and rolling effect.

The mass thereby comes in contact with the air to a degree that is determined by the surface of the liquid mass. One of-the side walls of the drum near the bearing of the drum axle is perforated at 39, in order that fresh air can get access to the interior, and gases from the inside can escape. V

The bearing carries a stationary disc ll which is equipped at the side facing the drum with a circular nut 4| in which engages a caulking flange 42, which is fastened to the side of the drum at the ring of the circular opening 39. The disc 40 covers the opening 39 except for an outlet 43 shown in Fig. 1-,' which consequently is permanently open. The mass can be fed in or taken out through opening 43, which also is useful in affording access to fresh air and escape for gases from the inside. If necessary, circulation of air can be brought about within the drum by a blower.

But in no case is the contact of the air with the mass sufficient to bring all the particles thereof into contact with the air to a sufiicient degree and for a sufficient length of time to allow acomplete development of the aromatic materials contained in the mass.

The material is carried by the wall of the drum and especially by the ribs [4 during the revolutions of the drum upwardly in the direction of the revolution of the drum. At an appropriate placethere is a scraper 22 which is held in stationary position by an arm extending from disc 40 through opening 39, and which is equipped with slots 23 at the end facing the wall of the drum, as shown in Fig. 3, which fits the ribs M. This scraper scrapes off the material adhering to the wall and the ribs; the matter will flow, consequently, down the scraper which is shaped as a slide obliquely directed downwardly. From the scraper the material flows down in a thin film and rejoins the mass processed by a roller 53.

The material carried upwardly in a thin film by the wall and ribs of the drum, is scraped off in a thin film by scraper 22 and is carried back in a thin film to the main supply of the mass. Consequently a great surface results whichgives the mass particles repeated opportunity to get into contact with the air. This causes the full development of the aromatic materials contained in the mass within the same time in which the mass requires to be brought into the correct state of liquidity by kneading and rolling.

The dimensions are such that the entire surface of contact between mass and air (that is to say, the surface of the mass, the film on the wall and the ribs, and the down flowing film) amount to at least 2 sq. m. per 100 kg. of mass.

The foregoing detailed description is solely illustrative and not limitative in character it being intended to restrict the scope of the invention only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for processing chocolate, in combination a container for holding a quantity of chocolate; means for agitating said chocolate in the container; and means associated with said container for aerating said chocolate while being processed, said last named means being adapted to expose said chocolate continuously to I air on a surface of at least 2 square meters for each kilograms of chocolate in said container. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the container rotates around a horizontal axis,

the inner surface of said container being provided with parallel ribs, and in which the agitat- 

